[Qgis-developer] Problem using vector data provider in python

[Chris Crook]

Hi All

I'm wondering if it is possible to use a QgsVectorDataProvider independently from a map layer in Python.  For example, I'd like to open a GML file and read features, etc from it without creating a map layer.

I can get as far as 

p=QgsProviderRegistry.instance().getProvider("ogr","myfile.gml")

But what I get back is QgsDataProvider.

<qgis.core.QgsDataProvider object at 0x099BE6F0>

So all the QgsVectorDataProvider methods don't seem to be available.  For example

>>> p.extent()
<qgis.core.QgsRectangle object at 0x09A4D810>
>>> p.featureCount()
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<input>", line 1, in <module>
AttributeError: 'QgsDataProvider' object has no attribute 'featureCount'

Is there any way to cast this to a QgsVectorDataProvider in Python (as happens in gsVectorLayer::setDataProvider)?  Or is there another better way to access the data provider?

Thanks
Chris
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